"Are you sure everything is alright?" her mother asked for what had to have been the fifth time.
"Yes, I'm fine. The doctors said everything checked out perfectly," Scootaloo said, reassuring her parents. When the two of them had arrived in town, they had heard about her recent hospitalization for the first time. Making sure that she was safe and healthy had immediately become their top priority.
Scootaloo proceeded to show her new parents around the cloud house, taking the time to talk about each of the items hanging in her room, as well as show off the impressive architecture of the main balcony and cloud ramp. She finished with the living room and the latest member of their family.
"And this is Tank, our pet tortoise," said the filly, motioning to the sleeping reptile with a hoof. "Come on out and say hi to Mom and Dad, Tank!" Moving slowly as usual, Tank poked his head out of the shell, looking up at the two unfamiliar ponies with what was probably curiosity.
"A... tortoise?" Her father stared quizzically at Tank, not quite sure what to make of him.
"Yep! He once saved Rainbow Dash when she got her wing pinned under a boulder at the Ghastly Gorge, so she decided to keep him as a pet."
"Scootaloo, just where is Rainbow Dash, anyway?" the stallion asked.
"Oh, she's in Canterlot for the day. Said she had an errand to run."
"And she left you here alone?"
"I guess..." I can take care of myself, though. Dash knew that.
"I see..." The two older pegasi whispered to each other, occasionally making worried glances in Scootaloo's direction. They had been doing this off an on for the entirety of the tour.
"Is everything okay?" Scootaloo asked, noticing their behavior. They're worried about something. Me? Or Rainbow Dash?
"Oh, absolutely!" her mother answered, immediately smiling and trotting to her side, her father moving to examine the rest of the room in the meantime. "We were just discussing the possibility of a family trip!"
"Family trip?"
"We were hoping your sister would be here, so we could bring her along too. I'm surprised she didn't stay home to meet us, or even tell you that we were coming."
"Are you sure she even knew about it?"
"Oh, I'm sure she did," replied Scootaloo's father, returning from the far side of the room with what appeared to be an envelope tucked under his wing. "This," he continued, dropping the opened letter on the living room table, "is the letter we sent you both saying that we were coming down for a visit. It probably arrived about four days ago. I found it in the trash."
"What? ...Why?" Scootaloo had no idea what to think of this. She just hid that and left?
"I don't know, but she can explain herself when she catches up with us," her mother said, pulling the confused filly closer to comfort her. "Honey, would you write up a note for Rainbow Dash detailing where we're going, please?" Smiling one more, she turned back to her daughter. "Scootaloo, how would you like to visit our home in Cloudsdale?"
"Dad, what's Cloudsdale like?"
"Oh, it's nothing special, Scootaloo, just another town. Only difference is that it's made of clouds, not brick, stone, or wood, and everypony's a pegasus."
"I don't know, it sounds way cooler than living in a place like this. Everything is soft and white, and because you'd be above the clouds, the sun would always be shining! Can you take me up there sometime?"
"We'll see. We'd have to get a unicorn to cast a cloud-walking spell on your mother, first. You know how she hates being left out of family trips. For now, though, let's just say that the clouds are always whiter from the ground, and leave it at that..."
"Are you okay back there, sweetie?" the mare called to the cart behind her. "We're almost there!"
"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine." Scootaloo replied, peering over the edge of the cart to gaze at the distant ground below. "Please don't call me 'sweetie', though. That's my friend's name."
"I'll keep it mind."
I'm going to visit Cloudsdale! If it weren't for the fact that doing so would probably cause her to fall out of the cart, the filly would have jumped for joy. Cloudsdale was the hub of pegasus culture in Equestria, and almost every famous flier Scootaloo could think of was born, raised, trained, or otherwise strongly associated with the city.
Her parents had already been aware of her flight deficiency, and were well prepared to transport their daughter. They acquired a small, sturdy cart to transport the filly in before setting off, her father assuring her that being unable to fly changed nothing about their trip. Once they were in the air, they had spent the next few hours telling Scootaloo a bit about themselves and what they did for a living. As it turns out, both of them were physicians, and ran a small sports medicine clinic for athletes.
"We've even given therapy to a good few injured Wonderbolts over the years," Her father had explained. "In fact, meeting one of them was a big part of what inspired Rainbow Dash to train so hard herself. It's a real pity that she dropped out of flight school when she did. She probably would be able to join the Wonderbolts herself by now if she had followed through on her formal training."
Rainbow Dash... What happened? Thinking about her put a damper on Scootaloo's excitement. As much as she loved being her sister, there was still so much that Scootaloo didn't know about her, and the trashed letter had thrown her for a loop. Why would Rainbow Dash want to keep me away from our parents? Did something happen between them in the past? Even their parents themselves seemed confused by her behavior.
"Am... Am I a good sister?"
Dash's question echoed in Scootaloo's mind, and began to take on more significance beyond guilt about the incident that put her in the hospital. There was more than just her wish causing problems here, and she was going to find out exactly what it was.
"I thought I had everything worked out. Now... I'm not so sure..."
The interior of the castle was like a maze. Hallways branching from other, identical looking hallways, each with dozens of doors leading to various rooms, made proper navigation for somepony unfamiliar with the grounds an exercise in guesswork. Luckily, the few times that Rainbow Dash had been in the castle, Twilight had made sure to show the gang around the one place Dash was sure she would be able to find her: the library.
Books are always the first thing she goes to for answers. Despite the guards being on high alert once the one at the gate reported in, the high, vaulted ceilings of the castle halls and their many colorful decorations made it easy to sneak around, provided that she didn't bump into a anything or make any loud noises. Soon enough, she reached the entrance to the castle's library. Luckily, the nearby guard patrol had just rounded a corner, and no guards were posted specifically in front of the door.
"These archives contain Celestia and Luna's private collections, and only the Princesses themselves can grant access to them," Twilight had told them on the night of her last birthday, after the boring garden party ended. "I've been in there a couple times myself. You could learn about anything you wanted with everything they have in there! Millennia of knowledge, all kept in one place! Some of the books are so old and rare that only one copy still exists, and you have to cast a special protection spell to be able to read it without it falling apart in your hooves." Even if Twilight didn't have the answers she need, Dash was sure something in the library would.
"Time to finally figure out what's going on," the blue pegasus whispered to herself as she pushed open the door and slipped inside. She found herself in a long corridor make by two sets of bookshelves that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. This library is bigger than I thought. I guess I'll just have to find her the hard way. Good thing nopony's guarding this place. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind when the marble floor beneath her hooves lit up in a large disc shape with a bright violet light.
Acting on instinct, Rainbow Dash took to the air, attempting to put as much distance between herself and the light as possible. As fast as she was, though, the trap was faster. A sheet of magical energy erupted from the edges of the disc and quickly settled in a small dome shape. The pegasus smashed into the barrier as she took off, bouncing back to the ground stunned.
A magical trap? Dang it, I should have seen that coming! the mare berated herself. I mean, come on! Daring Do runs into one of those almost every other book! Now how do I get out of here...
"You aren't supposed to be here, Rainbow Dash," boomed an authoritative voice the pegasus would have recognized anywhere. The air in front of her flashed with a blinding yellow light. When it faded, in its place stood a massive white pony with wings spread wide and horn held high, her multicolor mane billowing as if blow by an invisible breeze. "I would have thought that the guards had made it quite clear that visitors were not welcome today. Not even you." Dash recognized the look on her face. It was the same look of stern disappointment she had given Twilight after the incident with the enchanted doll that made the whole town go crazy.
"Princess Celestia, I-"
"No explanations will be necessary, Rainbow Dash. I know why you are here."
"You do?"
"Yes. You are looking for answers." The princess's face softened from a disapproving scowl to an understanding smile. "It was foolish of me to think that a royal decree would keep the bearer of the Element of Loyalty from trying to find those answers for her friends and family." Closing her eyes for a moment, Celestia touched her horn to the barrier. It glowed for a brief moment, and the dome receded back into the glowing disk on the floor, which then faded away. "The security spell here now recognizes you, Rainbow Dash. You are free to come and go from the archives as you see fit, for now at least."
"Wait, you're just letting me go? And I'll get to talk to Twilight now?"
"Of course!"
"Yes!" Dash excitedly jumped a short distance into the air and began hovering, glad to be out of the cramped "Finally!"
"On one condition."
Uh oh.
Scootaloo was in heaven, or at least a place that she imagined heaven must be like. She had always thought that Rainbow Dash's house was one of a kind, but here in Cloudsdale, everything was built like that, and many buildings were even more amazing! Elaborately sculpted walkways, rainbow rivers, grand, imposing pillars, and numerous other flourishes adorned much of the city. It was the most beautiful sight Scootaloo had ever seen! Her parents' house was no exception. It was set on a small cloud overlooking the larger one that housed the clinic, and looked like a small tower, with multiple floors connected by a spiral staircase that ran up the outside of the building. Balconies allowed for easy access to any floor from the air.
"Welcome home, Scootaloo," her father said with pride as the family touched down on a solid platform set into the house's roof.
"Well, I wouldn't call it my home, but thanks!" Scootaloo replied, hopping out of the cart.
"We're family, dear," said her mother. "Our home is your home!"
"'This is so awesome!" the filly shouted, excitedly darting back and forth across the roof, trying to take in all there was to see. "We could go watch the Wonderbolts practice, or we could make cloud sculptures, or tour the weather factory! I've always wanted to see how they make rainbows! Oh, I know! We could-"
"That's enough, Scootaloo." Her mother chuckled at the young pony's enthusiasm. "I'm sure we'll be able to do all of those things eventually. I think your father has something else in mind for now, though."
"That's right! If you'll just come with me, I have something I'd like to show you." Motioning for his daughter to follow him, the stallion started down the stairs with Scootaloo close behind.
"So, what are you going to show me?" the filly asked, nearly bouncing with anticipation.
"Be patient. I want it to be a surprise!"
Eventually, the pair reached the bottom of the stairs, entering a room at the base of the cloud. As Scootaloo's eyes adjusted to the dim light that trickled through the translucent cloud walls, she realized that they were in a workshop of some sort. Cabinets, workbenches, and tools lined the walls, and on one bench at the far end of the room sat a lumpy looking object covered with a white sheet.
"What is this place?"
"This is where I design customized gear to assist in the therapy, training, and overall recovery of our clients in the clinic," the elder pegasus explained. "It's thanks to the tools I've made here, and the physical therapy techniques that your mother has developed that we are able to help so many ponies. I even think we can help you, Scootaloo."
"Help me?"
"In all of the years I've been doing this, I've seen many pegasi with many different types of injuries. The most tragic are those who have crippled their wings. Flight is the most important aspect of being a pegasus. It is what sets us apart from the earth ponies and the unicorns. Without it, what purpose do we have in the world? We are not as strong as the earth ponies, nor can we cast spells like the unicorns. I have seen the look of realization and devastation on a pony's face as I tell them that they will never fly again. That they no longer have a place in this world, and I have vowed to stop that from happening any more."
"What does that have to do with me? I'm not crippled, just... slow. I'll grow out of it!"
"Will you? Your disorder usually only affects young foals, and they almost always grow out of it by your age. Your condition could be so severe that you'll never grow out of it!"
"But-" Scootaloo began, before her father cut her off and continued.
"And even if you do grow out of it, how long are you willing to wait? One year? Two? Five? Ten? It pains me to see you like that, even for a minute! You still haven't found your cutie mark yet, right? Why do you think that is? You haven't just lost your purpose in this world, you've been denied it by the cruelty of fate!"
I've lost my purpose? That can't be true... can it? Everything her father said made sense, though... "What am I supposed to do, then? Just give up?"
"Absolutely not! I said that I could help you, didn't I?" The stallion reached over and ruffled Scootaloo's mane with a hoof. "This," he said, trotting over to the covered object on the workbench, "is something that will help injured pegasi everywhere regain their purpose, and you will be the first one to use it!" He pulled the sheet away, revealing what appeared to be several thick strips of thick canvas laid out over both sides an elaborate metal frame, arranged in the shape of feathers, and bound together.
"Those are... wings?"
"Yes they are! Lightweight, adjustable, and able to fit over nearly any wing-shape, they'll give any pegasus the wings they lack!" Her father beamed with pride at his creations. "Within the hour, you'll be free to soar to your heart's content!
Rainbow Dash stared at the note on the table in disbelief. She had just arrived back home from Canterlot, eager to tell her sister what she had learned.
They took Scootaloo with them! Why in the name of Celestia would they want to take her? They never even cared about her! This can't be good. Ever since leaving Cloudsdale, she had wanted nothing to do with her parents. Sure, they sent letters every now and again, but Dash usually just threw them out without opening them, and that included the one that had arrived the morning of the wish incident. I told them that if they wanted to talk to me, they could do it to my face. They didn't even have the decency to do that! I'm going to fly over there right now and get her back! Something stopped the mare before she could even leave the room, though. Dang it, I can't just leave! Turning around, Rainbow Dash walked back across the room and laid down on the sofa, burring her face in her hooves.
"What am I supposed to do, Tank?" she asked her animal companion, who lumbered over to his owner, listening intently. "I mean, Princess Celestia entrusted me with an important duty. One that can sort out this whole wishing mess! I can't just abandon that and hunt down Scoots, can I?" Tank only blinked. "On the other hoof, what kind of sister would I be if I just abandoned her like that?" Tank walked over to the end table to the right of the couch, and nudged the one photograph sitting on it with his nose before looking back at the pegasus. It was a picture of Dash and Scootaloo at Sweet Apple Acres, receiving a set of blue ribbons for winning the race in the Sisterhooves Social. She had never seen her sister smiling wider than she had on that day.
"We make a pretty awesome team, don't we Dash?"
"You bet we do, Scoots. Keep this up, and pretty soon you'll be able to join me on the Wonderbolts in a few years!"
"You're right, Tank. Scootaloo is the whole reason I went as far as I did to get the answers in the first place! The mission can wait a few hours, I have a sister to get back!"
"So, how do I do this?" Scootaloo asked as her father slipped the larger artificial wings over her own, adjusting the straps over her midsection that held them on to her. Her mother stood by, watching her husband work with pride.
"The basics of flying are instinctive, and it's probably quite similar to the way you ride your scooter. Just push up instead of forward."
"If you say so..." The filly began flapping her new wings. She started slow, getting a feel for their larger size. Surprisingly enough, they were far lighter than she thought they would be. Dad really knows how to build things, doesn't he? She began to flap them faster, and was soon hovering a short distance above the roof. Wow! It used to take all of my strength to do this for even a few seconds! This is easy! This was it. All she had to do was give herself a little push, and she would be flying! "Here goes nothing!"
Rainbow Dash raced as fast as she could towards Cloudsdale. Any faster, and she would be pushing Sonic Rainboom speeds. As tempting as it was to perform one for the boost in speed, doing so over such a long distance would exhaust her by the time she reached the city. Luckily the speed she was maintaining at the moment was more than enough to get her to there in only a few more minutes. She could already see the cloud structures rising on the horizon.
Almost there! I'm not going to let them take you away! With one last burst of speed, the blue pegasus closed in on the city in the sky. She quickly found her former home, sitting above the clinic as it always had. On the rooftop, she could make out both of her parents. She hadn't seen them in years, but they had hardly changed. But where's Scootaloo? They didn't lock her inside, did they? They had better hope that they didn't, otherwise I'm gonna-
"RAAAAAAAAIIIIIINNNNNBOOOOOWWWW DAAAAAAAAAASH!" An orange and violet streak blew past the blue pegasus from above, nearly knocking her out of the air. "Whoops! Sorry, I still don't quite have a handle on my own speed yet!" Scootaloo shouted as she climbed back up to her sister's altitude. All Dash could do was stare with her mouth wide open, trying to process what she was seeing.
"Scoots! You... You're..."
"Flying? I know, right? Isn't it awesome?" The filly performed a small backflip in the air, cheering loudly as she did so. "Dad invented these extended wings that can fit over wings too small or damaged for flight, letting the pegasus fly again! Or for the first time, in my case. I've never had so much fun in my entire life! I can't believe you get to do this every day!"
"Are you sure those are safe? They don't look too sturdy..."
"Oh, that's just because they're super-ultra-lightweight, so it's hardly any heavier than your own wings." Scootaloo explained as she circled around Rainbow Dash, performing progressively more elaborate twirls and flips as she did so.
"If you say so," said the older sister. "It's just that the last time one of my friends got artificial wings, she got in way over her head and broke them. I had to pull off a Sonic Rainboom just to save her!" Not to mention that they inflated her ego to monumental size...
"I wouldn't worry about that!" Scootaloo said, now flying in fast, tight circles. "Dad told me to put these wings through anything I could think of to test them out! He'd never tell me to do that if there was any chance of-"
SNAP
No! No no no no no!
Scootaloo watched in horror as her left wing splintered and broke under the strain of her turns, spraying chunks of the metal frame everywhere. A particularly large chunk smashed into Rainbow Dash's head, stunning her for a moment as the filly began to plummet. Frantically, she flapped her wings in an attempt to slow her increasingly rapid descent. Thanks to the two different sizes of her wings, though, all she managed to do was put herself into an uncontrollable spin.
Nonononononono!
The cloud below rushed at her with incredible speed as Rainbow Dash finally came to her senses.
"SCOOTALOO!" the blue pegasus screamed as she launched herself into a nosedive. The filly could make out a small cone of light forming in front of Rainbow Dash as she dove.
She going to make it, she has to! Scootaloo told herself, even though deep down she knew that there was no way Dash could make it in time. She had heard the story of her idol's Sonic Rainboom at the Best Young Flyer's Competition dozens of times. She had performed the feat out of similar dive to save Rarity and the Wonderbolts as they fell, and only managed to catch them just above the ground. Scootaloo had a much shorter distance to fall, which wouldn't give Dash nearly enough time to reach her. Is... is this it? she thought, seconds before reaching the cloud.
She heard an enormous, thundering boom, and everything went black.